Kind of Woman That'll Haunt You
by foxxayforever
Summary: Misty comforts Cordelia after Fiona slaps her, bringing about feelings that Cordelia doesn't want to admit. Foxxay


The sound of the slap rang through the house as Cordelia tumbled out of her chair, landing roughly on her knees on the kitchen floor.

"You're not just blind. You are willfully blind," Fiona screamed as Cordelia cupped her stinging face, trying to hold back the tears that had immediately welled in her mismatched eyes. "You married Hank to prove some childish point and brought a viper into this sacred house!"

Cordelia said nothing, shaking as Marie helped her back into her chair, her breath coming in shallow gasps. Her mother kept talking but she had stopped paying attention, too focused on the pain in her cheek and the silent tears now streaming down her face. Fiona said something, turned on a heel and walked past Cordelia wordlessly, not even looking at her. Marie followed suit, shooting Cordelia a brief look of pity, and she was left alone in the spacious kitchen, her cheek still on fire.

The front door creaked open and she heard multiple footsteps jostling about the entryway. She suspected it was the girls back from some outing or another. Not wanting her students to see her in her current state, she rose from the chair and made her way quickly upstairs, shutting herself in her room and leaning against the door. Deep breaths wracked her shaking body as she blinked away the remaining tears. Fiona had never been a great mother, or even a decent one really, but she had not laid a hand on Cordelia while sober in thirty two years, not even using her power. _She was fully aware of what she did. She hit me. Backhanded me across the face. My own mother. _Cordelia shuddered at the thought, her face still stinging as she sat on her bed, swinging her legs over the side and leaning back into the abundance of pillows, rolling onto her side and curling up into the smallest form she could make. She started to weep, the tears rolling from her eyes and falling onto her pillow. She attempted to stay quiet, but knew she'd failed when she heart a quiet knock at her door.

"Miss Cordelia?" A familiar cajun voice drawled.

"Go away!" Cordelia cried insistently with a sniffle, not wanting to see even Misty at the moment.

"Cordelia," Misty implored softly, pushing the door open.

"I said go away," Cordelia repeated, less forceful now.

Misty stepped into the spacious bedroom, closing the door behind her and crossing to the four poster bed in the center of the room. Her eyes landed on a suspiciously shaped red mark on Delia's cheek and she hurriedly sat down on the edge of the bed. "Miss Delia, what happened?" Her concerned voice was laced with a fiery anger for whoever did this to her Delia.

"Nothing," Cordelia muttered, resisting making eye contact. She adored Misty, often thought she maybe even loved her, but she didn't want to be with anyone right now.

"Cordelia." Misty's tone was serious, and she delicately lifted the other woman's face so she had no choice but to look into her eyes. "What happened? Who did this to you?"  
"She's right," she murmured after a moment. "I deserved it. I'm hopeless. I'm an idiot and I put this coven in more danger than Fiona ever has. I have no purpose here or anywhere." The tears had died down, and Cordelia's features were now overtaken with a new, hollow look, one that scared Misty. She stared into space at nothing in particular, her chocolate brown eyes glazed over.

"Fiona did this?" She asked, taking Delia's hand in her own and gently rubbing her palm. Cordelia nodded and despite her attempts to hold them back the tears started again, breaking Misty's heart. Misty adored Cordelia; couldn't stand seeing her this broken. She scooted closer to Cordelia, wrapping her arms around her and pulling her closer. "Delia I'm so sorry. You didn't deserve that."  
"I did," Cordelia sobbed, burying her head in Misty's neck. "I deserved all of it."

"No you did not, Cordelia, look at me. You did not deserve any of that." She held Delia as close to her as she could, full blown sobs now wracking the woman's body. "You haven't deserved any of the awful things Fionas done to you. Not one of 'em." She gently stroked Cordelia's blonde hair, pressing her lips to the top of her head without thinking as if she'd done it a thousand times before.

Cordelia felt Misty's lips on the top of her head and stayed like that for a moment, enjoying the feel Misty's warm, protective embrace, her hands resting in the curve above her hip. She couldn't deny that she'd harbored feelings for the swamp witch since the day they met, but she could deny herself any contact with Misty that was beyond the realm of appropriate. She had to remain professional and keep in mind everybody's best interests. "You don't have to say that, Misty. Its very sweet, but incorrect," she replied with a sniffle. She scooted herself all the way out of Misty's hold.

"Oh stop it now," Misty said, gently but firmly, puzzled as to why Cordelia had pulled away. Didn't she feel what Misty felt every time they were together? _Of course she don't. A woman like Cordelia could never love someone like me. _"You deserve the world, Miss Cordelia," she said softly, taking the headmistress' hand in hers and squeezing it gently.

The genuineness in Misty's voice, her soft touch, the way she looked at her all scared Cordelia. She let herself believe, if only for a second, that Misty could love her. That she did love her. But in the end she would just hurt Misty, and that was the last thing she wanted to do. Even if by some miracle Misty ever did return her feelings, Cordelia could never let anything happen between them as much as she might have wanted it to. "Thank you, Misty." She swallowed hard, already disliking the next words that would come out of her mouth. "I think you should go."

"Oh," Misty mumbled, looking hurt. Her disappointment broke Cordelia's heart and she wanted more than anything in the world so scoop her into another hug and press their lips together and tell the swamp witch how much she wanted her to stay. "Uh, yeah, I'll go them." She got up, her normally lively blue eyes looking downcast. "If ya need anythin', I'll just be in my room." She flashed a sad smile to Delia before turning and shutting her door, walking quietly down the hall to her own room and shutting herself inside.

_Why'd she ask me to go? I thought we had a moment or somethin'. She's so sad all the time, with her momma and everythin', its like she don't love herself. I was just tryn'a make 'er happy. I thought I did. _Misty stood at her desk, plugged in the iPod and speaker Cordelia had given her and turned on Kind of Woman. Stevie always knew how to fix whatever Misty was feeling. Delia listened to the song she'd heard a thousand times, thinking about the lyrics in a new light.

_You didn't mean to meet her you cry_

_Oh but the sun goes down every night_

_She came to you when you were alone_

_And yes she matters to you_

_Kind of woman that'll haunt you_

_Kind of woman that'll haunt you_

_She matters to you_

Cordelia took a deep, shaky breath as Misty closed the door and disappeared, willing herself not to cry again. The swamp witch made her feel things she'd never felt before; things she thought shouldn't feel, didn't deserve to feel. It seemed as if, to Misty, she was the most important thing in the world whenever they were together. Everything she had to say, all her thoughts and opinions were important. _She said I deserve the world. _Nobody had ever made her feel that way. She pulled the covers over her and curled up, her bed feeling suddenly empty.


End file.
